Collocations for "awful"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "awful" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
awful
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- what an awful [smell, thought, thing to say]!
- What is that (damn) awful smell?
- and that is the awful truth
- is awful but true
- awful things happen to awful people
- that is the awful thing about
- had (just) an awful day
- is an awful [movie, book, painting]
- had an awful time at [work, school] (today)
- did an awful job with the [plumbing, painting, refurbishing]
- [was involved in, had] an awful [accident, crash]
- was a truly awful [match, performance, dinner]
- made an awful mess
- that's an awful idea!
- what an awful thing to [say, do, imagine]!
- get out of this awful [place, state of mind]
- a feeling that something awful [just happened, is going to happen]
- that is [really, just, truly, simply] awful!
- is absolutely awful
- how awful (for you)!
- is an [awful liar, flirt, tease, racist, bully]
- feel awful [today, from the clams]
- still feel awful that I [missed the party, said that]
- feel awful about [missing the party]
- that is an awful lot of [cake, money]
- must have an awful lot of patience!
- (certainly) knows an awful lot about [art, his life, horses]
- that took an awful long time!
- what an awful [smell, thought, thing to say]!
- What is that (damn) awful smell?
- and that is the awful truth
- is awful but true
- awful things happen to awful people
- that is the awful thing about
- had (just) an awful day
- is an awful [movie, book, painting]
- had an awful time at [work, school] (today)
- did an awful job with the [plumbing, painting, refurbishing]
- [was involved in, had] an awful [accident, crash]
- was a truly awful [match, performance, dinner]
- made an awful mess
- that's an awful idea!
- what an awful thing to [say, do, imagine]!
- get out of this awful [place, state of mind]
- a feeling that something awful [just happened, is going to happen]
- that is [really, just, truly, simply] awful!
- is absolutely awful
- how awful (for you)!
- is an [awful liar, flirt, tease, racist, bully]
- feel awful [today, from the clams]
- still feel awful that I [missed the party, said that]
- feel awful about [missing the party]
- that is an awful lot of [cake, money]
- must have an awful lot of patience!
- (certainly) knows an awful lot about [art, his life, horses]
- that took an awful long time!
- informal: but it is awful close (to here)
- informal: I'm awful [lonely, tired]
- dated: [miss, love, hurt] him something awful
'awful' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
absolutely
- album
- bloody
- condition
- demonstration
- dismay
- fare
- finance
- football
- fright
- idea
- indeed
- least
- manure
- proposition
- quality
- quiet
- rather
- see
- sequel
- shot
- singing
- skiing
- something
- state
- stench
- stink
- taste
- theme
- thing
- trade
- wedding
- witness
- workmanship